Living by the Breath of God
(This Blog is an extract from a Sermon Toby recently preached).
In both the Old Testament (Hebrew) and the New Testament (Greek), “breath,” “spirit,” and sometimes even “wind” are closely linked—often by the same word. Some Key Biblical Words are:
Hebrew: ruach – breath, wind, spirit
Greek: pneuma – breath, wind, spirit
Scripture uses physical breath to point to God’s life-giving presence. Breath = Life from God.
In Creation we see that human life begins only when God breathes. Dust alone is lifeless. God’s breath transforms matter into life. This shows that life is received, not self-generated.
Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
In Job we see that we have ongoing life and Job understands that every moment of life depends on God’s Spirit continuing to sustain him.
Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Job 27:3: “The breath of God is in my nostrils”
Isaiah reminds us that God’s breath can give life—or remove it and so we see that God’s breath is powerful - it creates, sustains, judge or humble.
Isaiah 40:7 “The grass withers… when the breath of the Lord blows upon it”
Ezekiel 37:1-10 (Valley of Dry Bones) shows that God’s breath does more than animate bodies—it restores a people spiritually. This passage powerfully shows that:
- Structure without God’s Spirit is still death.
- We cannot live physically without God’s breath,
- and we cannot live spiritually without God’s Spirit.
Breath in Scripture symbolizes God’s creative power, God’s indwelling presence, God’s sustaining grace, Humanity’s complete dependence on Him. When the Bible speaks of breath leaving and returning to God, it is not poetic exaggeration—it is a declaration that life itself belongs to Him.
Just as the Old Testament uses ruach (breath/spirit), the New Testament uses pneuma, carrying the same meaning.
Jesus and the Breath of New Creation
John 20:22, “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” This moment with Jesus and the Disciples is intentional and powerful and it echoes Genesis 2:7, which signals a new creation. Just as Adam became alive through God’s breath, believers receive new spiritual life through Christ’s Spirit.
At Pentecost, we see Breath as Power.
Acts 2:2 “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven…”
Wind = breath = Spirit. The Church is not born through human effort, but through God’s breath filling His people. It is the Spirit who gives life. Romans 8:10–11 “The Spirit gives life… He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.”
Breath and New Life
2 Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
New creation requires new breath, so as the Holy Spirit comes to live within the believer, we are new creations in Jesus.
From the first page of Scripture to the birth of the Church, God reveals a profound truth: life begins, continues, and is restored by His breath. When God formed humanity from dust, He did not simply create a body—He breathed His life into it. That same divine breath reappears throughout Scripture, reviving dry bones, sustaining the faithful, and ultimately breathing new life into believers through Jesus Christ.
When Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” He was declaring the beginning of a new humanity—people no longer animated merely by physical breath, but by the Spirit of God Himself. Without God’s breath, bodies are lifeless. Without God’s Spirit, souls are barren. But when His Spirit fills us, we move from survival to true life.
The Christian life is not about striving harder—it is about remaining filled with the breath of God.
How does this apply to a Christian’s Spiritual Life Today?
1. Dependence, Not Self-Sufficiency. Every breath reminds us: We are not self-made. Spiritual life cannot be manufactured. We must receive, not perform. John 15:5 “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
2. Prayer as Spiritual Breathing. Prayer becomes more than words—it is inhaling God’s presence and exhaling trust.
Inhale: receiving the Spirit’s guidance
Exhale: surrender, repentance, praise
3. The Holy Spirit as Daily Sustainer. The Spirit is not only for salvation moments but for: Wisdom, Comfort, Conviction, Strength to live faithfully.
Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
4. Hope for Dry Places. Ezekiel’s vision reminds believers: God specializes in reviving what seems dead. Spiritual dryness is not final. God’s breath can restore joy, faith, and purpose. As long as the breath of God is in us, life—true life—is possible.
As Breath is God. He breathed within us to give us life and life in abundance. What are you doing with that breathe… are you praising and glorifying Him with it or not?
Blessings
Toby
Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD
Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College
Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution
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